Gate latch



Aug. 15, 1961 .1. D. KlLLOUGH GATE LATCH Filed May 31, 1960 N HIIE 2,996,328 GATE LATCH Jack D. Killough, Rte. 2, 130x16, Adamsville, Ala. Filed May 31, 1960, Ser. No. 32,812 Claims. (Cl. "292341.1'7)

This invention relates to a gate latch and more particularly to a gate latch for receiving and retaining a latch pin on a swinging gate.

My invention comprises a latch for a latch pin on a swinging gate and has for an object the receiving of the latch pin automatically between two pivotally mounted gravity stops whereby the pin is positively retained between the stops.

A further object of my invention is to provide a latch having a pair of pivoted gravity stops for automatically catching and retaining the latch pin on a gate and allowing the latch pin to be released only upon the manual movement of at least one of the stops on the latch.

More specifically, my latch comprises a channel shaped member integrally formed with a collar secured to a vertical support and with the channel member having a short vertical leg at the front and a longer vertical leg at the back. The legs are connected by a web and extend upwardly and outwardly therefrom. The web is cut-away to provide pockets or recesses at the ends thereof. Gravity stops are pivotally mounted on pins for movement toward each other while the end edges of the web restrain outward movement of the upper ends of the stops, thereby positively retaining the gate latch pin therebetween.

A latch embodying features of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. -1 is an elevational view of a swinging gravity type gate secured in position by my latch;

, FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of my latch secured to a vertical support and retaining a latch pin on the swinging gate therein;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the latch shown in FIG. 2 with gravity stops in vertical relation, the dotted lines showing the stops in horizontal position as they appear when contacted by the latch pin on the swinging gate; and,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 and showing my latch secured to a vertical support.

Referring now in detail to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention, I show a gravity type swinging gate indicated generally by the numeral and mounted on a fixed vertical post 11 that is secured in concrete or the like. Upper hinge 12 on gate '10 is mounted for rotational movement relative to post 11 and a lower hinge 13 secured to gate 10 has an inverted V- shaped slot therein which is mounted for rotational movement relative to post 11. A lower hinge support 14 is secured to post 11 and has an upwardly V-shaped portion which fits within a V-shaped collar 16 positioned between hinge 13 and hinge support 14. Collar 16 is mounted for rotational movement relative to post 11 and aids in aligning the V-shaped notch in hinge 13 with the V-shaped hinge support 14. A hinge suitable for use with my improved latch is shown in Patent No. Re. 24,059, September 6, 1955.

A latch pin 17 is secured to the outer swinging end 18 of gate 16 and a latch indicated generally by numeral 19 receives and retains pin '17 in position. Latch 19 is mounted on a stationary post 21 which, in turn, is mounted in concrete or the like. Upon opening of gate 10, hinge 13 and collar 16 ride up along the inclined upper surface of hinge support 14. When the gate is released, collar 16 and hinge 13 tend to ride down along 2,996,328 Patented Aug. 15, 1961 the inclined upper surface of support 14 until latch pin 17 contacts latch 19 which takes place when the V-shaped portion of hinge 13 aligns with the V-shaped surface of hinge support 14.

Latch 19 is formed integrally with a semi-circular collar 22 secured to a complementary adjacent semi-circular collar 23 by bolts 24 and nuts 26. Latch 19 is channel shaped and comprises an outer relatively short leg 27 and an inner relatively long leg 28. Web 29 extends between legs 27 and 28 and has an opening 30 for receiving a padlock or the like. Legs 27 and 28 extend upwardly from web 29 and outwardly from the outer end edges 31 of web 29. Pockets or recesses are formed between legs 27 and 28 outwardly from web 29 and elongated stops 33 and 35 are mounted therein. The upper ends of stops 33 and 35 are beveled to allow the stops to move to vertical relation after being pivoted downwardly without catching on the latch pin. Stops 33 and 35 have aligned apertures therethrough and pins 34 extend between legs 27 and 28 and through the openings in stops 33 and 35 to mount the stops for pivotal movement between legs 27 and 28. Nuts 36 secure pins 34 in position. The portion of stops 33 and 35 beneath pins 34 is heavier than the portion thereabove. Therefore, stops 33 and 35 move by gravity to vertical positions as shown in FIG. 3. Stops 33 and 35 are of a length so that they may pivot inwardly to the dotted line position as shown in FIG. 3. However, upon any outward pivoting of the upper portion of steps 33 and 35, the inner surface thereof contacts end edge 31 of web 29 which restrains the pivoting movement thereof. Flange 37 prevents latch pin 17 from riding over the tops of stops 33 and 35. Thus, once latch pin 17 is positioned between stops 33 and 35 and the stops move to their vertical position, force exerted against gate 10 will not open the gate even though the gate rises vertically on post 11 since flange 37 will keep latch pin 17 from riding over stops 33 and 35. A positive locking action is provided by latch 19.

In operation, to release latch pin 17 after it has been positioned between steps 33 and 35 as shown in FIGS. 2-4, one of the stops must be pivoted downwardly against web 29 manually and then gate 10 may be pushed open. After gate 10 has been pushed open while holding one of the stops down, the gate will close automatically as the \I-shaped hinge 13 causes gate 10 to close. Assuming gate 10 to be opened by the downward pivoting of stop 33 manually, the release of gate 10 after being pushed opened results in latch pin 17 pivoting stop 33 downwardly toward web 29. Pin 17 moves over stop 33 and hits stop 35 which engages edge 31 of web 29 to stop the movement of the gate. Meanwhile, stop 33 which latch pin 17 initially engaged, returns to its vertical relation and latch pin 17 is thus trapped between stops 33 and 35.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that I have provided a latch having a pair of gravity stops to retain a latch pin on a swinging gate which receives the latch pin automatically whereby the latch pin is positively retained by the latch. The latch may be released only upon the manual movement of at least one of the gravity stops. My latch further comprises a channel shaped member which is formed integrally with a semi-circular collar that secures the latch to a vertical support. The latch may be easily fabricated since it is an integral structure with the semi-circular collar. Stops 33 and 35 with the mounting means therefor may be easily added. A channel member is simply formed on the outer side of the semi-circular collar and stops are pivotally mounted thereon between the legs. Such a latch has been found to be entirely satisfactory in retaining gates in a positive manner.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modilications without departing from the spirit thereof, 'and'I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon ,as are specifically set forth in the appended claims. V a

What I claim'is: a a a a 1. In a post mounted latch for a vertically movable and horizontally swinging gate having a latch pin projecting outwardly of the swinging end thereof, a channel shaped member having one leg secured to the post and the other leg facing the swinging gate, the web of said channel being slotted at each end thereof with the legs extendmg therebeyond, an elongated gravity stop in each of the slotted ends ofthe web and adapted to receive the latch pin therebetween, means extending between the legs mounting the gravity stops for pivotal movement, the portion of said gravity stops below the mounting means being heavier than the portion thereabove whereby the gravity stops lie in avertical position when at rest, said stops being mounted for the upper ends thereof to pivot vinwardly toward each other thereby to lie generally paraltically movable and horizontally swinging gate, a post adjacent the swinging end of the gate, a latch secured to .the post comprising a channel shaped generally vertical member having short and longer legs with a generally horizontal web extending between the legs, said longer leg being disposed adjacent the post and said shorter leg facing the swinging end of the gate, said legs extending upwardly and beyond the web on each end thereof to form recesses, an elongated gravity stop on each end of the web in the recesses, means mounting the stops intermediate their lengths for pivotal movement between the legs, said stops being of a length for the upper ends to pivot inwardly to a position generally parallel tothe upper surface of the web and spaced to receive the latch pin therebetween, said stops abutting the end edges of said web in latching position to restrain the stops when the upper ends thereof are moved outwardly away from each other, and means adjacent the upper ends of the stops to hold the latch pin in retained position between the stops. 7

3. In means to catch and retain a latch pin on a vertically movable and horizontally swinging gate, a post adjacent the swinging end of the gate, a latch secured to said post comprising a channel shaped member having generally vertical shorter and longer legs with a horizontal web extending between the legs, said longer leg being disposed adjacent the post and said shorter leg facing the swinging end of the gate, said legs extending upwardly and beyond the web on each end thereof to form recesses, an elongated gravity stop on each end of the web in the recesses, "a pin extending between the legs at each end of the latch on which the gravity stop thereat is mounted intermediate its length for pivotal movement between the legs, the portion of said gravity stops below the pins being of a weight greater than the weight thereabove whereby the stops extend in a generally vertical'position' when at rest, said stops being of a length for the portions thereof above the pin to pivot inwardly toward each other and liegenerally parallel to the inner surface of the web and spaced to receive the latch pin therebetween, said stops abutting the end edges of said web to restrain the stops and hold the latch pin against outward movement thereof, said stops being movable itiwardly manually to release the latch pin from between the stops after being retained therebetween, and a flange extending outwardly from said long leg at a position above the upper ends of said stops to keep the latch pin from moving over the upper ends of the pins.

4. Means defined in claim 3 in which said longer leg is integrally connected to a semi-circular collar secure to the post.

5. A gate latch to catch and retain a latch pin on a vertically movable and swinging gate comprising a bracket secured to a gate post, said bracket being generally channel shaped as viewed in cross section with a short vertical leg at the front thereof facing the swinging end of the gate and a long vertical leg at the back adjacent the gate post, a generally horizontal web extending be tween the legs with the legs extending outwardly from the web to form a recess at each end of the web, an elongated gravity stop in each of the recesses, means extending between the legs mounting the gravity stops for movement from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position, said stops being limited in outward movement by contact of the inner surfaces thereof with the end edges of the web while the stops are in substantially vertical position whereby the latch pin may be held between the stops, and means adjacent the upper ends of the stops to keep the latch pin from sliding over their upper ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 29, 1903 

